Attack rocks rowers on the river

MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times

ROCK AND ROW: Coach Leisha Currie, left, and rower Stacey McDonald with the damaged outrigger at Claudelands Bridge, where they were pelted with rocks.

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Two Hamilton rowing crews were lucky to escape with only a couple of bruises when a group of youths threw rocks at them on Tuesday night – and it was not the first time it has happened.

Two of Hamilton Rowing Club's coxed fours were training when nine youths on Claudelands Rail Bridge dragged rocks and other large debris from tunnels and bombarded the rowers.

Coach Leisha Currie, who trains the group five times a week, was in a dinghy at the time and said her initial emotions were shock and fear – particularly at the size of the projectiles.

"It happens every summer but just smaller things like stones and coke cans," said Ms Currie.

"The scariest thing was that this was pre-planned and the coxswain said one of the rocks was the size of a rugby ball."

One girl suffered bruising to her hand and calf but Ms Currie said it could have been much worse, as she demonstrated with a dented outrigger. There were a number of near-misses.

Since the incident most of the crew wanted their training to follow a different route but Ms Currie staunchly opposed this.

"They aren't going to beat us," she said.

A Christchurch tourist photographed the offenders from Claudelands Bridge and police have arrested five boys, aged 13 to 15.